Pickleball Round Robin for 22 Players on 5 courts
For 22 players on 5 courts, play 8 rounds of rotating-partner doubles: 20 play and 2 sit out each round. Everyone plays 7 or 8 games and sits out 0 or 1 time, with no repeat partners, in about 2 h with games to 11.
Pickleball Round Robin for 22 Players on 5 courts · www.elcodev.com/apps/paddlerack/round-robin/22-players-5-courts
Everyone plays 7 or 8 games · zero repeat partners
The schedule: 8 rounds
Give each player a number from 1 to 22 (write names in the key when you print). Each row is one round; each cell is one game, partners joined by "&". Times assume games to 11.
| Round | Court 1 | Court 2 | Court 3 | Court 4 | Court 5 | Sitting out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 0 min | 10 & 18 vs 1 & 12____ : ____ | 16 & 15 vs 20 & 6____ : ____ | 13 & 4 vs 11 & 7____ : ____ | 17 & 22 vs 5 & 19____ : ____ | 21 & 14 vs 8 & 9____ : ____ | 2, 3 |
| 2 15 min | 20 & 18 vs 5 & 21____ : ____ | 11 & 14 vs 1 & 2____ : ____ | 17 & 10 vs 8 & 13____ : ____ | 4 & 16 vs 19 & 22____ : ____ | 3 & 7 vs 12 & 15____ : ____ | 6, 9 |
| 3 30 min | 15 & 6 vs 18 & 8____ : ____ | 22 & 2 vs 17 & 12____ : ____ | 13 & 16 vs 5 & 9____ : ____ | 1 & 14 vs 19 & 21____ : ____ | 3 & 11 vs 20 & 10____ : ____ | 4, 7 |
| 4 45 min | 22 & 12 vs 15 & 20____ : ____ | 9 & 6 vs 4 & 19____ : ____ | 1 & 3 vs 13 & 7____ : ____ | 11 & 10 vs 5 & 18____ : ____ | 2 & 17 vs 21 & 16____ : ____ | 8, 14 |
| 5 60 min | 11 & 21 vs 19 & 16____ : ____ | 9 & 2 vs 7 & 10____ : ____ | 17 & 1 vs 4 & 15____ : ____ | 20 & 13 vs 18 & 14____ : ____ | 3 & 5 vs 8 & 6____ : ____ | 12, 22 |
| 6 75 min | 5 & 13 vs 15 & 2____ : ____ | 19 & 11 vs 8 & 3____ : ____ | 6 & 22 vs 1 & 10____ : ____ | 12 & 18 vs 9 & 17____ : ____ | 14 & 20 vs 4 & 7____ : ____ | 16, 21 |
| 7 90 min | 3 & 10 vs 16 & 17____ : ____ | 20 & 5 vs 19 & 9____ : ____ | 11 & 18 vs 14 & 7____ : ____ | 4 & 22 vs 8 & 2____ : ____ | 13 & 6 vs 12 & 21____ : ____ | 1, 15 |
| 8 105 min | 1 & 21 vs 3 & 12____ : ____ | 16 & 5 vs 4 & 14____ : ____ | 8 & 22 vs 7 & 9____ : ____ | 10 & 2 vs 19 & 15____ : ____ | 17 & 6 vs 11 & 20____ : ____ | 13, 18 |
Name key
Sit-out distribution
2 of 22 players sit each round, so each player sits 1 round in 11. Over 8 rounds that's 16 sit-outs shared 22 ways: everyone sits 0 or 1 time. Who sits:
- Round 1: 2, 3
- Round 2: 6, 9
- Round 3: 4, 7
- Round 4: 8, 14
- Round 5: 12, 22
- Round 6: 16, 21
- Round 7: 1, 15
- Round 8: 13, 18
| Player | Games | Sit-outs | Different partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 3 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 4 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 5 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 6 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 8 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 9 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 10 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 11 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 12 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 13 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 14 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 15 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 16 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 17 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 18 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 19 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 20 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 21 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 22 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
How long it takes
Rec doubles to 11 with side-out scoring runs about 13 minutes plus a couple of minutes to rotate. Your group may be faster or slower; the court time guide shows how to estimate it.
| Format | Per round | 8 rounds |
|---|---|---|
| Games to 11 | 15 min | 2 h |
| Games to 15 | 20 min | 2 h 40 min |
| Games to 21 | 27 min | 3 h 36 min |
In a 2-hour booking (8 rounds to 11), each player gets about 7–8 games.
Tips for 22 players on 5 courts
2 sit out each round. Each player sits 1 round in 11. That's a short, friendly break, and a good moment to keep score or refill water. Rotate the sit-outs by the schedule, not by who volunteers, or the same polite people sit every time.
Short by 2? With 2 more players you could fill 6 courts and nobody would sit (24 players on 6 courts).
Want fixed partners instead? 22 players make 11 teams. Use the fixed-partner generator for a team round robin where every team plays every other team as far as the courts allow.
Frequently asked questions
How many rounds should 22 players play on 5 courts?
Plan 8 rounds, about 2 h with games to 11. A complete partner cycle (everyone partners everyone) would take about 24 rounds, roughly 6 h, so most groups stop at 8 rounds (2 hours).
How many players sit out each round with 22 players on 5 courts?
2 players sit out each round, because 5 courts hold 20. A fair rotation spreads it so each player sits 1 round in 11 and no one sits twice before everyone has sat once.
Will everyone partner with everyone?
Not in 8 rounds. Each player plays 7 or 8 games, so they partner 7+ different people out of 21 possible, with no repeats. Partnering everyone would take about 24 rounds.
How long does a 22-player round robin on 5 courts take?
About 2 h for 8 rounds to 11 points (side-out scoring, roughly 15 minutes per round including changeover), 2 h 40 min to 15, or 3 h 36 min to 21. Rally scoring is faster.
What if someone arrives late or leaves early?
A printed schedule can't adapt, so you'd regenerate it for the new count (the free generator takes seconds). The Paddle Rack app handles it live: late arrivals join with a fair games count and early leavers drop out without breaking the rotation.
Other group sizes
21 players, 5 courts · 23 players, 5 courts · 22 players, 4 courts · all court options for 22 players · every schedule
Schedule generated by the Paddle Rack rotation (the same engine as the app); fairness counted independently. How the rotation works.